Automatic train control for cab-signals.



B. R OODINGJ AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL FOR CAB SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 19141.

'2 sHBETssgBET 1.

5, IWQMZ B; F. WOOD'ING. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL FOR GAB SIGNALS.

APPLICATIOILFILED JULY15, 1912.

Patented 001127, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BENJAMIN E. WOODING,

or nnnvnn, concise-no.

AUTOMATIC ream conrnon roe CAB-SIGNALS.-

Application filed July 15,

. To all whom it may concern imity of one as may be desired.

' train device Be it known that I, BnNJAMiN F. Woon me, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train. Control for Cab-Signals; and I do declare the tollowingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked tnereon,-which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means carried by the train for automatically controlling'the cab signals of railway sig naling systems. From the foregoing it will be understood that this invention is employed in connection with that class of railway signaling systems in which the signals are dis-7i. played or produced. upon the train,namely 5 strnction, I will proceed-to describe the same in the cab of the engine. g

In my present improvement there is a normally closed train circuit, an electromagnet being located in said circuit and conse? quently normally energ1ze ,"whereby 1&8

armature seats a valve and prevents the escape of airfrom the trainpipe of the airbrake system. When, however, this circuit is broken by virtue-of'the existence of a dangerous condition, as the dangerous proxto another, the breaking train of a rail, or other condition of similar character, the delinergizing of the trainmagnet releases the an valve, permitting the escape of the air, which serves to operate a warning whistle and at the same time applies the air brakes and stops the train without any action whatever on 'the part of the engineer or others in control of the train.

Furthermore, my present IIIVGIIYPOII 'is employed in conneotion'with track apparatus including track contacts which are arranged at suitable intervals and adapted to be engaged by a depending device carried by the train whereby the track circuitis intermittently closed through an electrical source carried by the train, or an external source,

By virtue of this construction and arrangement, every time the tigages a track contact a hell or other suitable signal in the cab is operated. The operation of this signal 1ndi and under. these Specification 5! Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914..

191a Serial no. 709,327.

conditions the circuit is constantly closed through the air-valve controlling electrotrack portion of the circuit is interrupted by closed exceptwhen a dangerous track condition exists, whereby the-said circuit is interrupted. Normally, or when the train device is not in engagement with a track contact,

train device alone, while. when the train device is in engagement with the track-contact, the magnet circuit is completed through the ing the air-valve closed, at all times except in the presence of danger.

Having briefly outlined improved conin detail, reference being made to the accomwarning whistle, the magnet being. shown in connection with a pipe in communication with the automatic air. of the brake system, the parts being shown on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the magnet dee-nergized and the air-valve released. 'Fig;

much larger scale than in Fig, 1. Fig. 5 is a view of the same construction viewed at right angles to Fig. i, Fig. 5 being a view looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 4.

same par-ts in all theviews.

Let theinumeral 5 designate'the cab-of .a locomotive provided with wheels 6, con nected by an axle 7, the wheelgengaging the track rails 8 and 9.

Mounted in'the cab of the locomotive, or any suitable part of the train. is a source of electricity, as a battery 10, the same being connected with an electroma'gnet 12, provided with 'an armature 13 the armature l carrying a valve piece 1. L which closes an air magnet on the train. hen however, the

electromagnet carried by the train, and the the existence of any dangerous condition, the magnet is deenergized and the air-valve I The distinguishing feature of m present which the train magnet circuit is constantly the magnet circuit is completed through the track portion of the circuit, thus maintain- 4 is a view of the train device shown on a The samereference characters indicate the llll pipe- 15 when the magnettis energized. The magnet is also equipped with a warning whistle 4, which is sounded by the escaping air when the valve 1- is open. The coil of the magnet is so arranged that the passage of the current through either of two distinct circuits energizes t3.) magnet and maintains theair valve in the closed position.

A ii-shaped train device 16 1s trunnioned. as shown at 17, on each of two journal boxes 18 mounted on opposite sides of a locomotive. The trunnions 17 of this train device are mounted in side plates 19 applied to the opposite sides of a journal box, but insulated therefrom as shown at 20. By virtue of this construction the U- shaped frame device 16 is normally insulated from the train. This U-shaped device is composed of para-llelarms 21 which occupy positions on opposite sides of the journal boX, the said arms being connected at their lower extremities by a transverse member 22. One of the arms 21 of the train device is equipped with an upwardly extending contact member 23 which normally engages a contact clip 2% which is mounted on an angle bracket 25., but insulated therefrom by insulating members 26 and 27. Connected with the contact clip- 2% is a bolt 28 with which is connected one extremity of a conductor 29 which includes the arm F of a double pole switch D, the said conductor being electrically connected through wire H with a terminal 30 of the coil of the magnet 12. From one pole 31 of the battery 10 a wire 32 leads to the opposite terminal 33 of the coil. same pole 31 of the battery, electrical communication is established through a part of the coil,'w'ith a terminal 3, av wire 3% leading from the last named terminal to a bell or other signal carried by the train. From the bell also leads a co.-'luctor 36 to the metal body of the locomotive whereby the current may pass through a wheel 6 to a rail 9 and thence through awire of the track circuit of any block, the current returning through awire 38 to a member 3" of a track contact 43, which also includes a yielding member if! pivoted at 41 and normally pulled toward a member 39 by a spring 12. When av train reaches one of. these track contacts, which is designated in its entirety by the numeral 43, the U- shaped train device, .01 blade, passes between the two members 39 and 40, thus completing the track circuit. In this event the train device 16 is actuated to disengage .he contactmember 23 from the contact clip 2% whereby the magnet circuit is broken at this point but established through the track circuit. the magnet circuit in both cases remaining intact in the absence of damnsince the return current through the onductor of the track circuit From thebe understood to pass from the track con tact i3 into the train device 16 which includes a switch arm G, the last named conductor communicating through thefswitch arm 5) with the opposite pole 46, of the battery 10. From this it Will be understood that the track contacts 43'are-looate'd in such proximity to each other that the track circuit is tested, so to speak, at comparatively short intervals. Normally, and in the absence of danger, whenever the train device 16 engages a track contact 4:3, the bell 35 will be sounded during such engagement, thus notifying the engineer that the track is clear, and also that the sig- 0 naling apparatus is in perfect condition. But if, when the train device engages a track contact 43, any element of the track circuitis disrupted so as to break such circuit; or, if there is a train in dangerous proximity whereby the current in the track circuit is short-circuited whereby the magnet 12 is deenergized, the air pressure in the pipe 15 will immediately lift the armature 13 of the magnet, opening the valve ll and permitting the escape of the air, whereby the whistle is sounded. and the brakes simultaneously applied.

From the foregoing description the operation of my present invention will be readily understood. Assuming that the train device 16 is free from a track contact .43, or in the position-shown in full lines in Figs. l and 5, the circuit, through the magnet 12, may be traced asfollows: From the pole 31 of the battery 10 through the conductor to the terminal 33 of the magnet coil, and thence from the opposite terminal 30 through a conductor 47 and thence through either conductor 2) and its arm F to the double pole switch D, to the bolt 28, thence to the clip contact 24:, thence through the contact member 23 carried by the train device 16, thence through the latter to the plate 19 on the opposite side of the journal box and thence through one'of the conductors H and the switch arm Gr 1": the double pole switch D, and through theswitch arm 45 to the opposite pole 46 of the battery, completing the circuit .115 through the entire coil of the magnet 12 whereby the armature 13 is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 and'the air-valve 14 closed. Assuming, llowever, that one of the train devices 16 is in engagement with 12 one of the track contacts 43, as the oneat the left in Fig. 1, in which event the switch arm 45 is in full line position in Fig. 1, the path of thecircuit may be traced as follows: From the polc:31 to the battery 1 10 through the conductor 32 through the terminal 33 of the magnet and thence through a part of the coil to the interme diate terminal 3 of said coil and thence through the conductor 34 to the bell 35, 13

film-11cc he l through conductor L1 nuzmi no; of the loconioiivd i i ,1- H hulls lul:

to a line conductor 37, line circuit and hackconductor 38 of such circuit thence from said conhe brain device 16 to'ihe Fig. 5 and ethence conductor and. doulole' nu C1 und the so -cli arm 45 pole so of the, hst'tery ciriecicd with one arm to enconract cli iQ-i. .This means of leaf springs untcd on a stationary part 0 as shown at so, The movement 0 iinited lrv adios-ring the screws re threaded in staiionnry brackets and the arms of the device l e o'oposiie side from the springs rlreference the coils oi she ins-" not id be stat d that The current or the ircuit passes through nc entire sgnei: entering o iih' cut. at the of incl 30, v passes through the onion M is intended rhsi rho cur'reni pass through approximately magnet coil, and inuv he asi'he terminal 8 i located about niidn's of lhe length of th coil, thus dining .the resistance of ll ini e magnet coil oi the current W hers the lat co the external circuit. Y :ription heretofore given relates to 21 conslruciion in which the ourcc if carried by me train is the inlcrnul and vernal fien advisable, however, to sin osiiery for internal circuit on external sour e itlrcni Will he cornnisied tea-v if same as before,-ihst niicn ihc arm is in passes throughn whee-1' under the iniiuence of the however, will be slightly ch anged, since vii tcr leaving the double pole'switch arm is, the current will pass through a short conductor H to a point J and thence through a part of the conductor 44 to one arm of the Ushuped train device, and thence through the said device and the arm 23 of the contact 2%, thence'through a portion of the conductor 29 to the switch arm .G of the double pole snitch D and thence through thc other part of the conductor 4% to the switch arm do and thence to one poleoi' the. battery. However, when the train device is in engogement With'the track contact 4-3, the butter 10, carried by the train, will be cut out of the circuit and a track battery, or olhcr electrical source A, employed. in this event the conductors 37 and 38 are in connection with the opposite poles B and C FQSPQC? lively of the battery A. In this event the current may be said to pass from the pole C of the battery A through the conductor to the track Contact 43, thence through the train devicc 16 and the plate 19 at the left in Fig. 5 through a portion of the con ductor. 44c, thence through the short conduc tor H to the switch arm F of the double pole switch 1), thence through :1 portion of the conductor '29 and the conductor i? to the terminal 30 of the magnet 1'2. thence through the coil to the terminal 3 and thence frcni said terminal through the conductor 3i to the; bell, thence from the bell to, the'condoctor 36 ton metal part of a locomotive, thcnce'tlirough a wheel (3 and the conductor 37 tothe opposite pole B of the external source of electricity, completing the circuit.

A part of the external circuit together with the source of electricity A is indicated by dotted lines, to harmonize with the dotted line positions of the double pole s vitch'es D carried by the train, since when Ehc douhle pole switches are in the dotted line position the brain battery is out out when the train device is in engagement with the contact i3 and the circuit is supp-lied with current from the external source A. It 1 ust be understood, however, that when the train device 16 is not in engagement with the truck contact 43, the intern-Lil circuit complcied' through the trainsource 10, while the double pole switches are in the dotted line position, the current, however, passing through the U-shaped train device in the opposite direction from that which it takes when the double pole switches are in the full line position. 1

Attention is called to the fact that the contact clipiZ is 'rclotively long. whereby the electrical connection between the arm 23 and the said Contact is prolonged after-the train device 16 begins to move from its normal position to the dotted line position -in Fig. 4;. The ohject of this prolongation and 2a is to maintain the circuit intact through the electromagnet 12 until the train device 16 shall have reached such position with reference to the track contact 43 that the circuit is closed through the last named contact before it is broken through the c'ontact clip 24, which is closed at the top to prevent the entrance of rain, snow, and other foreign matter or substances.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. Railway signaling apparatus including a source of current carried by the train, signal devices also, carried by the train and supplied by the said source, a ri id U-shaped device whose arms are pivotally connected with the opposite sides of an axle journal box of the train, one arm of which is constantly electrically connected with one pole of said source and the other arm normally electrically connected with the other pole,

the device being momited to oscillate whereby its connection with the last named pole is broken. v

2. In railway signaling apparatus, the combination with a train circuit, of a rigid U-shaped device whose arms are pivotally connected with the opposite sides of an axle journal box of the train, one arm of said device being constantly in electrical communication with one pole of said circuit, while the other pole'is arranged to be intermittently engaged by the other arm of saiddevice.

3, Railway signaling apparatus including a train circuit and a U-shaped device, the arms of the latter being pivotally connected with the opposite sides of an axle journal box of the train, one of said arms being constantly in electrical communication with one pole of said circuit, the said device being held normally in such position that the other arm is in communication with the other pole,

the said device being movable whereby said arm of said U-shaped device, the U-shaped' device being spring held to hold said contact member in engagement with said stationary contact, a circuit with one pole of which the stationary contact is electrically connected the opposite arm of the U-shaped device being constantly in electrical communication with the other pole of the circuit, the U- shaped device being movable to disengage its contact member from the said stationary contact for the purpose set forth.-

5. Railway signaling apparatus including a U-shaped device carried by the train and pivotally mounted on opposite sides of an axle journal box, springs acting on said U-shaped device to hold it in a predetermined position, adjustable means for limiting the movement of the U-shaped device in response to said spring, one arm of the U-shaped device being equipped with a contact member and a circuit carried by the train with one pole of which the said contact member is normally in electrical communication, while the opposite arm of the U-shaped device is constantly in communi cation with the other pole.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. XVOODING;

\Vitnesses:

A. F. OBRIEN, Mar Cnmmxrs. 

